Victorian Milk Glass Plate with Cupid & Love LetterWonderful, hand painted Victorian mill glass plate with a valentines motif: Cherub, cupid, & love letter. Unfortunately the name on the letter is lost to time, but I found it so charming that she wrote Worcester on it: Worcester, MA is where Esther Howland manufactured her famous valentines. Her designs single handedly created the mania for valentines during the last quarter of the 19th century. Condition is good overall with some minor paint loss.

The velvet is very dark purple and looks black when not in direct light

though it’s missing one leaf on the side

The dress fastens and cape attaches with velcro closures

Though this has been in my collection a very long while

I suspect this page was originally part of a journal or keepsake album

The frame has glass on both sides

all components made of wood

but it seems this person did so out of sheer amusement at the decidedly colorful and melodramatic language

Early 20th century antique wooden tea crate with Chinese character labels on each side and the lid

Refer to photos for size and condition: Overall good with some slight warping

which is a good sign but not definitive

dating to the 1920s